Clothesbasket



Feb. 12, 1952 D, H B T EY 2,585,428

CLOTHESBASKET Filed Oct. 30, 1946 5 1a" 5 11 20 ll IN V EN TOR.

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ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 12, 1952 er: a,

Dewey H.'Bitney, Albion, Mich.,assignor to Union a s 'Steel ProductsCompany,iAlbion, Mich.

. Application October 30, 1946, Serial No. 706,688

This invention relates to improvements in a clothes basket.

'-The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide an all metal clothes basket which is light in weight and at the same time strong and rigid. v

Second, to provide an all metal clothes basket in which the clothes are supported so that the basket may be placed on the ground or onthe floor without the clothes coming in contact theree with.v Y Third, to provide a clothes basketwhich may be provided, with base members which'constitute runners so that the basket may be drawn along the floor or upon the ground.

Further objects and advantages pertaining 'to the details .and economies of the invention will beapparentfrom the description to follow. The invention is further pointed out in the claims.

A structure which embodies the features of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

i Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the basket of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevationalview thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view.

Figs. 4, and 6 are fragmentary detailed views on lines corresponding .to lines 4-4, 5-5 and 66 respectively of Fig. 1 showing structural details.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated consists of the top border frame designated generally by the numeral I andhaving integral side members Zand end members 3, this top member being formed of round wire stock. The spaced transverse bottom members 4 are formed of flat wire stock and have integral upwardly diverging side slats 5, the upper ends of these side slats being arranged on the inner sideof the side members of the frame and welded "thereto as indicated at 6. The longitudinal bottom members 1 are also formed of fiat wire stock-and these are arranged in spaced relation upon and welded to the transverse bottom members at their crossing points as indicated at 8. -These longitudinal bottom members have integral-up- 6 Claims. (01. 220-19) brace and support each other.

portions l0 disposed below intermediate transverse bottom members and welded thereto as indicated at H. The ends of the base members are upwardly offset at l2 and welded to the end transverse bottom members as indicated at I3. (See Fig. 5.) The ends of the base members are extended into upwardly converging arms 14 which are disposed on the outer sides of the top frame end members and welded thereto at l5 (see Fig. 6). These members l4 project substantially above the top frame-and arec'onne'cted by the cross pieces [6 which'constitute handles. This results in a structure which'is quite light although made entirely of metal. At the same time it is strong and rigid and capable of'sustaming heavy loads and severe usage.

The base members are effective as runners; that is, the basket may be drawn along the floor or ground on these base'members. The base members also support the bottom of the basket in an elevated position sothe contents of the basket cannot come in contact with the ground rflooh I After the parts entering into the structure have been secured together'as by welding, it may be enameled or coated or plated as a unit. The

elements entering into the structure are so disposed and connected that they'serve to efiectively The shape and dimensions of the basket may be-very substantially varied.

It will be understood that I have used the terms side and end members and side and'end wall slats for convenience in the description as the basket might be, for example, square or oval. "Having thus described my invention, whatI claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pat ent, is: 1

1. In 'a clothes basket, the combination'ofa top border frame having integral side and end members, a plurality of spaced transverse bottom members formed of flat wire and having integ'r'al upwardly diverging side slat extensions at the ends thereof disposed-with their upperends on the inner sides of and welded to the side members of said top frame,'a plurality of spaced longitudinal bottom members formed of flatwire "disposedupon and welded to the transverse bottom slats at their crossing points and having integral upwardly diverging end slat extensions at their ends disposed with their upper ends on the inner sides of and welded to the end members of said top frame, said transverse and longitudinal bottom members having their flat sides disposed parallel to the plane of the bottom of the basket, and base members constituting runners and having central integral inverted U-shaped loop-like upward offsets disposed below one of the intermediate transverse bottom members and welded to the lower flat side thereof and having upwardly oifset end portions disposed below and welded to the lower flat sides of the end transverse bottom slats, said-base members having integral upwardly projecting arms at the ends thereof disposed on the outer side of said top border frame and welded thereto and extending substantially above said top border frame and integrally connected to provide handles; said arms converging upwardly at asubstantial-angle towards each other to brace the basket against sidewise distortion.

2. In a clothes basket, the combination of a top border frame having integral side. and end membersfa plurality of spaced transverse bottom members formed of flat wire and having integral side slat extensions at the ends thereof disposed with their upper ends onthe inner sides of and welded to the side membersof said top frame, a :plurality of spaced longitudinal bottom members-formed of flat wire disposed upon and welded to the transverse bottom slats at their crossing points and having integral end slat extensions at their ends disposed with theirupper ends on theiinner-sides of and'welded to the end members of said top frame, said transverse and longitudinal bottommembers havin their fiat sides disposed parallel to theplane of the bottom of the basket, and, base members having upwardly onset end portions disposed below and welded to the lower flatsides of the end transverse bottom slats,- said base members having integral arms at the ends thereof disposed on the outer side of'said top border frame and welded thereto and extending substantially above said top border frame and integrally connected to provide handles, I

3. A clothes basket comprising a wire container, and base members having intermediate and end upward offsets disposed below and fixedly secured to the bottom of the wire'container,

said intermediate-onsets being inverted U-shaped and integral with the base members, said base members having integral upwardly projecting .arms 'disposed at the; outer sides of and fixedly secured to said wire container and terminating 'in-handlesabove the wire container.

4. A clothes basket-comprisin a continuous top border frame, sets of U-shaped bottom and wall-slat-members of fiat wire disposed with their bights in: crossing relation and welded at their tainer and parallel wire-like runners therefor disposed relatively close to opposite side edges of the container and substantially parallel to said edges and spaced from the bottom of the container, said wire container includin top and bottom border frame members and vertical slats connecting said members, said runners having integralupward offsets adjacent the outer ends of the runners and extending substantially in the general direction of the runners and terminating at their outer ends in integral upwardly projecting arms, the lower border member being mounted on and weldingly secured to said upward offsetasaid arms being fixedly secured to the'topgborderf-rarrie member and extending substantially above the top of container and integrally conne'c'ted 'to' provide handles, said arms converging at a substantial angle towards each other from their points of attachment to the bottom border frame member to their points of attachment to'the "top border frame member to brace the wire container against sidewisedis'tortion, certain of said vertical slats connectingthe top and bottom border frame members between said converging arms.

6. A clothes basket comprising a container having side walls anda bottom formed of wire'a'nd parallel wire-like runners therefor disposed relatively close to opposite sideedge's of the container and substantially parallel to said edges, said runners having integral upward offsets adjacent the ends thereof, said offsets extending substantially in the general direction of the runners "and "ter- 'min-ating at their outerends inintegral'upwardly projecting arms, said bottom being mounted on and we'ldingly secured to said-upward-'ofisets, said arms being fixedlysecured to the container adiacentth'e top thereof and extending substa'ri tiallyabove the top of the container andfiiiedly connectedto'provide handles," said arms converge ing at a substantial 'angle towards' each other from their points of attachment adjacent the bottom of the container to their points of attachment adjacent the top of the container to brace the wire container against sidewise distortion.

DEWEY H. BITNEY.

REFERENCES orrnn the The following references are'of record "in file oi this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS I Number Name Date- 71,881 Howe'et al. DeC'.- 10, 1867 698,497 Hill e Ap'r."-29, 1902 813,499 Johnson Feb. 27, 1906 1,252,740 Th'ornblade Jan. 8,1918 1,939,504 Lee- Dec. 12, 1933 2,047,905 Johannsen July 14,1936 2,364,705 Geralds Dec. i=2, 1944 2,361,218 "Joyce, Jr. Jan.1 6,:=19'45 2,438,030 Bitney 1 ;"Mar,= 16, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS. 1 v 1 Number Country Date" 

